1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an artificial nail and to a method of applying the artificial nail to a natural fingernail. In particular, the invention relates to an artificial nail that has the appearance of a natural nail once it is applied.
2. The Prior Art
Traditional artificial fingernails are made of an opaque hard, flexible plastic. They are applied over natural nails with an adhesive and then covered with nail polish. These nails look like natural nails only when covered with polish, because the artificial nails completely obscure the natural nail bed underneath.
Because of the opacity of the artificial nails, a french-style manicure is impossible. A french manicure is one in which only the nail tip is colored, (usually white) and the nail bed is left a natural color or tinted only slightly pink. Attempts at a french manicure with artificial nails do not look natural, because the opaque artificial nail bed portion cannot be made to look like a natural nail bed.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an artificial nail and a method for applying the nail, in which the natural nail bed is visible, and the entire nail looks as if it were a natural nail.
It is another object of the invention to provide an artificial nail that can be easily applied by a consumer without the need for an experienced nail technician.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an artificial nail that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.
These and other objects of the invention are accomplished by an artificial fingernail comprising a nail body made from transparent material and having a nail bed portion and a nail tip portion. The nail bed portion corresponds in size and shape to the nail bed of a natural fingernail and is applied over a natural fingernail. The nail tip portion contains opaque decorations that obscure a natural. nail tip when the artificial fingernail is applied over a natural fingernail. This way, the artificial fingernail has the color and appearance of a natural fingernail. This is especially important when doing a french manicure.
The artificial nail is preferably made from ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) plastic. However, other materials could also be used.
To give the appearance of a french manicure, the opaque decorations comprise white paint over the entire nail tip portion. Other decorations could also be done. To give an even more decorative appearance, decorative designs can be applied over all or a portion of the nail. Such designs can include air-brushed or printed flowers, birds, or any other designs. These designs are used in addition to the decoration that covers the area corresponding to a natural nail tip. It is important that the natural nail tip not be visible through the artificial nail, because the artificial nail would not look natural. Only the natural nail bed is visible through the artificial nail.
The artificial nail is preferably coated with a top coat of transparent sealer to protect the decoration and designs. Thus, the nail comes pre-finished and does not need any additional polish once it is applied to the natural fingernails.
The invention also includes an artificial fingernail fingernail kit, comprising at least 10 of the artificial nails described above, along with a portion of a translucent pink adhesive. The adhesive is preferably an ethylcyanoacrylate, but other adhesives could also be used. The natural nail color is visible through both the adhesive and artificial nail when the artificial nail is applied to a natural nail with the adhesive.
The invention also comprises a method of applying artificial fingernails, comprising applying the translucent pink adhesive to the artificial nail described above, and placing the artificial nail over a natural nail, so that the natural nail bed is visible through the artificial nail and the adhesive.